Fumbling Hearts
by savilizabeths
Summary: Two hearts hurt. Two messed up children with secrets. Two souls find one another in hard times and battle a world in which they cannot win. Can one broken heart mend the other? Cat/Robbie.


**A/N - Thank you for reading this. I have a lot planned for this story and it has been in my mind for some time now. It's one of those things where you'll start piecing ideas together as the story goes. I hope you enjoy. **

Sirens! Sirens?

All Cat Valentine could hear outside her window was the loud whirring of sirens. Beside her bed the clock shone 2:30 when suddenly her sleep was penetrated by the sounds breaking through the night.

Her first drowsy thought involved wishing she could go back to sleep.

Once her eyes had opened and her brain had registered the true meaning of the sounds, panic set in. What had her brother done? Was he okay? Had he climbed out of his bedroom window again?

Without a second thought, Cat bounded from her bed and rifled around in her bottom drawer for a sweatshirt. Throwing it on over her cupcake printed pyjamas, she began running out of her room and down the stairs. In her haste she tripped and set one of her mothers ornaments flying. Cat didn't even glance down at the shattered angel.

"Mom? Dad?" she called at the bottom of the stairs. Her cries heard no answer, but the sirens continued to ring in her ears. "DADDY? MOM?" she tried again.

No reply came. Cat's heart felt as if it was knocking on the inside of her chest, trying to get out. Quickly she made a turn into the hallway, pulling the door to the study open and staring horrified at the empty sofa bed.

Cat's parents had moved her brother to the study a year ago in an effort to control the collection of bizarre objects he had begun storing in his bedroom.

Tears began forming in her eyes. Something was wrong. He had disappeared. She squeezed her eyes shut, desperately hoping that when she opened them he would be tucked up in his bed, sound asleep.

Her eyes opened, the room remained the same.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god."

As she moved as slowly as possible toward the front door, she repeated this phrase under her breath.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god."

The sirens got louder.

"Oh god!"

Her worst fears were confirmed when she cracked open the front door to reveal a police car parked in her driveway. Another car idled behind it with a vaguely familiar woman, dressed in the same work clothes as her mother wore, standing beside it.

A social worker.

Once they had tried to take her brother away. It had been the time Cat screamed. All she could remember was that scream. He had been gone when they came to find her. Her parents had forced her to see a counsellor. An old man that had tried to coax her to talk. Cat woudln't. They didn't take him.

Could they be taking him now?

"NO!" Cat's cry pierced the air. Despite her bare feet and the chilling night air, she rushed out of the door and onto the scene. Her mother stood with the social worker, and both looked up in surprise at Cat's approach. "STOP! You can't do this! You can't take him away!"

Shivers shook her as the cold engulfed her. Yet she ignored it, turning pleading eyes on her mother. Beside them, the social worker's brow furrowed.

"Take who away?" she questioned, also looking at Cat's mother. "We're not taking anybody."

Everything about Cat's mother, Natalie, appeared exhausted. Her dark hair was wild and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. Sighing, she shook her head at the other woman.

"Cat gets nervous around authority figures, it's alright," she explained it away, keeping things vague. Then she turned on Cat, placing a well meaning hand on her shoulder. "It's nothing like that, honey," she whispered. "Actually, there's somebody here to see you."

Relief crashed over her and suddenly every feeling that had been overtaken by panic moved to the forefront of her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself and yawned.

"I don't get it," she said through chattering teeth. "Why is she-"

Her mothers' eyes left hers and focussed on something behind her head. A small smile, the type usually reserved for Cat, full of concern and sadness, played on her features.

Before Cat had the chance to turn around, a voice behind her spoke.

"Hey, Cat."

The voice was small, but she would know it anywhere. Cat spun around to face the mop of curly hair clutching his puppet.

"Robbie?"

Of all the scenarios she had considered, Robbie's unexpected appearance had not made the list. Why was he here in the midst of police cars and social workers? W

It was then that she noticed the sadness in his eyes. She noticed the way that he wouldn't meet her eyes. The slump to his shoulders and the way he clutched Rex to his chest like a life vest.

Whatever was happening, Cat could tell that Robbie needed a hug. And she stepped forward to wrap him and Rex into an embrace. With her arms around him, she could feel he was shaking.

Beside them, Cat's mother spoke.

"Cat," she said, turning her daughter to face her. "Your friend Robbie is in a bit of a situation."

Disentangled from Cat's hug, Robbie continued to stare holes in the ground while Cat looked between him and her mother. Worry began settling in her chest.

"A neighbour complained," explained the social worker. "After investigating, the police forwarded the case onto me due to Robbie's involvement."

"Robbie has been taken from his parents indefinitely for his safety," her mother continued, stroking her daughters hair. "It has been determined that his parents are not suitable guardians."

This was just as bad as her brother leaving, Cat decided. She turned her tearful gaze on Robbie, willing him to look at her.

"They hurt you," she whispered, reaching out and pulling his hand into hers.

How could somebody hurt their own child? How could somebody hurt _Robbie_? Knots twisted in her stomach, making her feel sick as she clutched the hand of the boy who hid behind his puppet.

Staying close as if trying to protect him, Cat's questions began pouring out.

"Is he staying with us? How long will he stay? Will he ever see his parents again? Will he be taken by another family? Where will he sleep?" The questions were verbalised the second they entered her mind, and endless stream of thought.

"Cat, calm down," her mother ordered in the voice Cat never argued with. "Until a suitable home can be found, it is imperative that he stay with a social worker," she pointed toward herself. "We're not sure how long the period will be."

"Is it alright if I leave you now?" the social worker asked Cat's mother, patting her bun into place and looking at her watch. "It's a ridiculous hour and I have a lot of work regarding this case tomorrow."

Cat's mother nodded. "Of course. Robbie's fine here. Get some sleep and I'll see you at work tomorrow…if I can keep my eyes open." The two women laughed and Cat moved closer to Robbie.

Then her mother ushered Cat and a still silent Robbie inside the house. She poured them both milk and pulled out the box of chocolate chip cookies that she only served on special occasions. Robbie took three and ate them with his face downcast. Cat took none and simply watched Robbie, biting her lip.

Seeing Robbie inside her house was strange. If she could avoid it, Cat never invited friends to visit her home. Guests frightened her brother.

"Where's he going to sleep, Mom?" she asked, voice softer in an effort not to wake the rest of the house.

Knowing she was approaching a difficult subject, Cat's mother cleared her throat.

"Well, I was thinking that perhaps he could sleep on the fold out couch in the study." She spoke slowly and carefully, eyes begging Cat not to make a fuss.

Cat did anyway.

"No! He can't!" Cat's voice grew shrill and her mother shushed her. "That's where my brother sleeps and I'm not sharing with him. Every time I do he steals Mr. Longneck and tells me his name is Giraffe. And it isn't!"

Immediately, in an effort to keep voices quiet, Cat's mother backtracked. With a tired sigh, she suggested the one thing she did not want to deal with.

"I suppose he could share with you."

"With me?" Cat repeated while her mother took a sip of her milk and put her forehead in her hand.

Cat looked at Robbie. Robbie avoided her gaze. Cat looked at her mother. Her mother stared back. Then her face broke out in a smile. "Sure," she said, grinning. "We'll be roomies!" She laughed and poked Robbie on the shoulder.

"Oooh," she clapped excitedly. "He can even have the bed and I'll sleep on the floor."

"Alright," her mother agreed. She got to her feet, stretched and placed the empty cups in the sink. "It's getting late, so you two head up to bed and I will see you in the morning." She walked past the teenagers, kissing Cat on the head and looking at Robbie sympathetically.

Once she had gone, Cat swivelled around in her seat to face Robbie.

"Robbie?" she cooed, as if speaking to a child. "We can head up to bed now. You must be tired.

Robbie's head bobbed up at down. Rex hung limply at his side now, for once silent. He did not appear to posses the energy to stand, so Cat took his hand in hers and pulled him out of his seat and along the corridor.

The two passed Cat's brothers room, and she remembered the empty bed. Letting go of Robbie for a moment, she peered in. Everything was as it had been.

"Okay…roomie," Cat laughed when they were both in her bedroom. "You can get into bed now if you want, I'll get the mattress from the store cupboard." She gave him a bright smile and exited.

Just a few steps down the hall and Cat had reached the store cupboard. It was a small space but large enough to store a mattress, some toys from Cat's childhood, boxes of junk and a briefcase from her fathers' previous job which he had detested. Tonight, Cat found that it also stored her brother.

Forgetting the mattress for a moment, Cat approached him slowly.

"Hi," she whispered. When his brown eyes met hers, they were wide. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Though he didn't say a word, he held his arms up. Cat crouched down and wrapped him in a hug. He had never liked unfamiliar figures lurking about his house. He was clearly frightened.

"It's Robbie," she told him. "Just Robbie. He'll be staying here for awhile. I promise you'll like him." She wasn't so sure.

"I saw him," he told her, his voice small. "He has funny hair."

Cat giggled.

"You'll like him," she repeated.

Their arms were still around each other and Cat felt something wet drop onto her arm. He was crying. As crazy as her brother was, she preferred his crazy over his tears. In fact, she loved his crazy, as much as she hated to admit it.

"Shhh," she whispered. "Don't cry."

But he was crying. And he wasn't talking anymore. Suddenly he twisted away from her and her arms fell with nothing curled into them anymore. She knew she wouldn't talk now. He was in one of those moods.

Suddenly tired, she stood up. His back was to her, and she patted him on the head. Then she left, pulling the mattress she had come to collect behind her.

When she opened the door to her room once again, Robbie was sitting on the bed. Rex discarded beside him. Hurriedly, she pulled the mattress into the room and placed in beside the larger bed. Then she sank down next to Robbie, her arm snaking around his neck.

"You know," she said. "If you want to, you can sleep with Mr. Longneck tonight. I don't mind."

And at last, Robbie looked at her.

"Really?" he asked.

Her eyes lit up at his acknowledgment and she smiled.

"Duh," she said, her laugh bubbling up and over. She grabbed Mr. Longneck from where he sat on her bedside table and put him in Robbie's lap. "He's all yours…" Then her face turned serious. "But only for tonight," she clarified.

Neither spoke again until both were in bed and the room was dark.

"Hey, Cat?" Robbie said through the silence.

"Yup?"

"Thanks."

Then all was quiet again and Cat drifted off to sleep with a small smile on her face.


End file.
